The Lord said also unto me, etc. It has been suggested (see on Jeremiah 3:1) that this introductory clause belongs rather to Jeremiah 3:1. Some sort of introduction, however, seems called for; Ewald supposes a shorter form, such as "And the Lord said further unto me."
The view is not improbable, for although there is evidently a break between Jeremiah 3:5 and Jeremiah 3:6, there are points of contact enough between Jeremiah 3:1-5 and the following discourse to prove that they represent the same prophetic period (comp.
Jeremiah 3:10 with Jeremiah 3:3, Jeremiah 3:8, Jeremiah 3:9 with Jeremiah 3:1, Jeremiah 3:12 with Jeremiah 3:5, Jeremiah 3:19 with Jeremiah 3:4). Backsliding Israel; literally, apostasy Israel. Usually a change or modification of a name is a sign of honor; here, however, it marks the disgrace of the bearer.
Israel is apostasy personified (comp. Jeremiah 3:14, Jeremiah 3:22). She is gone up; rather, her wont hath been to go up.